THE RIVER NITH DISTRICT SALMON FISHERY BOARD MANAGEMENT REPORT AND REVIEW 1st December 2016 - 30th November 2017 “Caught at Cowhill” Contents AGENDA 3 MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 4 MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL PUBLIC MEETING 6 Chairman’s Foreword 7 1. Constitution and Area 8 2. Invitees 8 3. Research and Improvement 8 4. Staff 8 5. Objectives 8 6. How the Nith Board Works 9 7. Funding 9 8. Constitutional Evolution 9 9. Fish Species present in the Nith 9 10. Fishing Methods 10 11. Salmon and Sea Trout Populations 10 12. Marine Pressures/International Impact 10 13. Angling Availability 11 14. Water Quality and Riparian Habitat 11 15. Fish Access 11 16. Riparian Habitat Assessment and Management 11 17. Juvenile Salmon and Trout Populations 12 18. Hatchery Stocking 15 19. Sea Trout/Brown Trout 15 20. Predators – Statistics 16 21. Exploitation 17 22. Government Conservation 17 23. Salmonid Stocks 17 24. Engineering and Other Works 18 25. Illegal Fishing 19 26. Conservation Policy and Angling Code 19 27. Public Access 20 28. Legislation and its Development 20 29. Summary of Events from 01.12.16 – 30.11.17 20 30. Biologist’s Report 2017 21 Nith District Salmon Fishery Board Policy Statement 22 Nith Fishery Management Plan Prescriptions 26 Incidents of Illegal Fishing Poaching Activities - 01.12.16 – 30.11.17 29 Nith Habitat Enhancement Projects - 01.12.16 – 30.11.17 29 Appendices 29 1. Attendances at Nith Board Meetings 30 2. Statement of Good Governance Compliance 32 3. Register of Complaints 32 4. Nith System Catch Data 33 5. Nith Salmon and Sea Trout Catches 1952 – 2017 34 6. Angling Code 2017 36 7. Clerk’s Notes and Accounts 37 8. Annual Accounts 39 2 | P a g e AGENDA for the ANNUAL QUALIFIED PROPRIETORS MEETING for year 01.12.16 - 30.11.17 1. Minutes of Annual General Proprietors Meeting 23.03.17 2. Annual Report 3. Annual Accounts 4. Management Plans for The Forthcoming Year and The Near Future 5. AOCB 3 | P a g e NITH DISTRICT SALMON FISHERY BOARD MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF QUALIFIED PROPRIETORS HELD AT FRIARS CARSE COUNTRY HOUSE HOTEL AULDGIRTH, DUMFRIES on 23rd March 2017 at 10.00 am PRESENT Percy Weatherall – Chairman Robbie Cowan – Caerlaverock Peter Landale – Dalswinton Estate Alan Nisbet – Buccleuch Estate Nick Wright – Closeburn Castle Fishing David Kempsell – Dumfries & Galloway Angling Association Wally Wright – Netting Representative Peter Hutchison – Netting Representative Thomas Florey – Angling Representative MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ATTENDANCE Simon Kelly Brian Fox John Davidson Tom Brown Karl Savege Mike Machin IN ATTENDANCE Roderick Styles – Clerk James Henderson – Fishery Director (FD) Deborah Parke – Nith Catchment Fishery Trust (FB) Davie McMichael – Senior Water Bailiff Julia Mitchell - Administrator APOLOGIES John Kingan Nick Brown Derek Hextall The Chairman convened the meeting and welcomed everybody in attendance. The Chairman referred to the Agenda. 1. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING The Chairman asked for comments on these Minutes. There were none. The Chairman sought formal approval for the Minutes, which was unanimously given. 2. DRAFT ANNUAL REPORT The Chairman referred to the Annual Report and asked for comments thereon. There were none. The Chairman sought formal approval for the Minutes, which was unanimously given 3. ANNUAL ACCOUNTS The Clerk referred to the Accounts and his notes thereon in the draft Annual Report, advising that he did not intend to comment on the Accounts unless there were specific questions. 4 | P a g e In response to a question the Clerk advised that Corporation Tax was raised on the investment income derived from interest on the Board’s deposits held in Building Society accounts. The Clerk had many years previously received confirmation from the tax authorities that this was the Board’s only taxable income. The Board’s accountants drafted the tax return and submitted the final return on behalf of the Board. Accounts were also formally audited annually. A query was raised about the nature of the Trust Biologists fees. The Clerk stated that the Trust had been set up and adopted charitable status to avail itself of alternative funding for organisations of charitable status, which was not available to the Board. There has to be a degree of separation in the operations of the Board and Trust and so the Board pays the Trust for its services and at the same time provides agreed grant aid to the Trust to allow it to function. Services rendered relate to research carried out by the Trust Biologist for the benefit of the Board. The Accounts were unanimously approved by all concerned. 4. MANAGEMENT PLANS FOR THE FORTHCOMING YEAR AND THE NEAR FUTURE – (reference the draft annual report and Fishery Management Plan) JH referred to the Annual Report where completed work against each prescription is detailed as well as being in detail in the quarterly report. He concluded that they continue to work diligently at each prescription. 5. A.O.C.B. No items were raised. The meeting thereafter closed. 5 | P a g e NITH DISTRICT SALMON FISHERY BOARD MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL PUBLIC MEETING HELD AT FRIARS CARSE COUNTRY HOUSE HOTEL AULDGIRTH, DUMFRIES on 3 July 2017 Present Percy Weatherall - Chairman Nick Brown – Friars Carse Robbie Cowan – Caerlaverock Estate Thomas Florey – Angling Representative Peter Hutchison – Netting Representative David Kempsell – Dumfries & Galloway Angling Association Peter Landale – Dalswinton Estate Alan Nisbet – Buccleuch Estates Nick Wright – Closeburn Castle Fishing Wally Wright – Netting Representative Jim Gregory – Angling Representative Members of the Public in Attendance Tom Brown Karl Savege In Attendance Roderick Styles – Clerk James Henderson – Fishery Director Deborah Parke – Nith Catchment Fishery Trust David McMichael – Senior Water Bailiff Julia Mitchell – Administrator The Chairman convened the meeting and welcomed everybody in attendance. The Chairman referred to the Agenda. 6. DRAFT ANNUAL REPORT The Chairman referred to the Annual Report and asked for comments thereon. There were none. The Chairman sought formal approval for the Minutes, which was unanimously given. 7. DRAFT ANNUAL ACCOUNTS The Chairman referred to the Accounts and the Clerk’s notes thereon in the draft Annual Report, advising that he did not intend to comment on the Accounts unless there were specific questions. There were none. The Accounts were deemed to be approved. 8. MANAGEMENT PLANS The Chairman referred to the management plans and asked for comments and questions. There were none. The Management Plans were deemed to be approved. 9. AOB No matter was raised. The Chairman closed the meeting. 6 | P a g e Chairman’s Foreword The year of 2017 for the fisheries world was one of uncertainty. We started the year with thoughts of amalgamation with our neighbouring river, the Annan. Discussions had taken place with representatives of the Annan and our river, and plans for managing both rivers were advancing in accordance with the Scottish Government’s Wild Fisheries Reform. An announcement from the Government in the early spring of 2017 changed all proposed plans and most of the reform process was abandoned. Managing fisheries into the future was to be continued by the traditional bodies of both Boards and Trusts. I always questioned the value of diluting our efforts in a larger Fishery Management Organisation, however we are back to business as usual with our own Nith Board and Trust. Conservation of our fish stocks seemed to be taking a priority over other aspects of managing our rivers. During 2016 we had been assigned a category 3 conservation status by the Scottish Government, and all salmon had to be returned. This was elevated to a category 2 status for the 2017 season whereby fishers could take a salmon if they choose to do so but restraint was required. I am pleased to report that our Nith fishers saw sense and returned most of their catch achieving in excess of the 80% Catch & Release target requested by our river management. We look forward to the 2018 season with our, again elevated, category 1 status. Whilst we continue to manage fewer fish in our rivers, of equal concern to us all, is the fact that fewer people are on the banks of our rivers fishing. We have taken steps to address this through the efforts of our Trust and their “Fishing for the Future” project. This project has been successful in giving young people the chance to experience fishing at various venues throughout the Nith catchment in a safe and enjoyable environment. Having seen the project in action, I am confident that we have recruited new Nith anglers for the future. When numbers of fish are as low as they are currently, accurate information is key to all that we do in managing them for the future. In a bid to gain this information we are embarking on an exciting new venture to have fish counting facilities positioned in our rivers to enable accurate counting of the fish that pass them. It is hoped that information gained from these will aid future management decisions. From an uncertain start to 2017 we head towards 2018 with a more certain future for our Board and Trust and look forward to a busier year on our river with our category 1 status. Tight lines to all who fish our rivers! E.P.K. Weatherall Chairman 7 | P a g e Introduction 1. Constitution and Area The Nith District Salmon Fishery Board is constituted under the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 2003. The Nith Board for the year comprised: - Chairman Percy Weatherall Lower Proprietors John Kingan North Corbelly Robbie Cowan Caerlaverock Estate Upper Proprietors Peter Landale Dalswinton Estate Nick Brown Friars Carse Nick Wright Closeburn Castle Fishing Alan Nisbet Buccleuch Estates Limited David Kempsell D & G Angling Association Lower Co-optees Peter Hutchison Netting Representative Wally Wright Netting Representative Upper Co-optees Richard Gladwin Angling Representative Danny Marshall Angling Representative Thomas Florey Angling Representative Jim Gregory Angling Representative Tom McAughtrie Angling Representative Its main areas of jurisdiction comprise the principal River System of the River Nith and all its tributaries including parts of the Solway Firth.